Will domestic cats kill a full-grown Indian runner?

[PaulX]

So... I'm incubating Indian runner eggs with detached air cells, not sure any will hatch yet, but I'd rather prepare for this in advance...

Will domestic cats be able to kill my Indian runners once they're full-grown?

I currently have 54 days-old Pekins, and they're big enough I'm confident the cats won't bother them, so I can leave them in the yard unattended as cats are the only danger around here, but there're many of them. They are stray, by the way.

For the runners, I'm not so sure. Google says their female size is 1.4-2 kg (3.1-4.4 lbs).
That's a far cry from Pekins, which range from 3.6-5 kgs (8-11 lbs).
Runners are less than half the weight of Pekins it seems.

So I'm now worried whether I'd have to keep them locked up at all times when I'm not with them.
That seems impossible to do. Even my pekins now don't cooperate when I want to lock them up, even with food. I can't imagine catching the even more agile runners.

 

[ShannonR]

Most likely not.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Unlikely. I know people say cats aren't like dogs, and that they know no boundaries, but my cats have never gone after any of my chickens, even my OEGB chicks. And after those 8-week chicks have been weaned from their mother, they're smaller than pigeons, which my cats will hunt.

They've never even looked at my ducks. Not even at the mallards, which are about the smallest ducks you can own.

 

[Alexandra33]

It's highly, highly unlikely. I've kept Runner, Mallard, Khaki Campbell, Buff, Cayuga, Black East Indie, and Call with all my cats (indoor, outdoor, stray, feral) from the get-go. Keep in mind a few of these breeds are bantam class.

~Alex

 

[Andrew Myers]

Be very careful! As long as the cat isn't threatened/starving it should be fine. If they reproduce outside expect to see a few dead babies once in a while. But they will be fine ranging freely with a coop to go into at night.

 

[Alexandra33]

I've shared this on a few other threads, but hopefully it provides you with a little comfort. Duckling relaxing happily on my Maverick is a Blue Runner.

~Alex

 

[Andrew Myers]

I've shared this on a few other threads, but hopefully it provides you with a little comfort. Duckling relaxing happily on my Maverick is a Blue Runner.
View attachment 1657677
~Alex

Now I wish that I could be that cat!!!!

 

[Alexandra33]

Now I wish that I could be that cat!!!!

I'm sure you'd enjoy it infinitely more than he did!

~Alex

 

[ShannonR]

I have seen cats looking at poultry, and kind of thinking about it. But even with the babies, they always seem to think better of their ideas before acting on them. Even feral cats have never been a problem with me. I have heard of a feral cat going after poultry only once, and never a kitty with food and a home.

 

[Kkrista123]

I couldn't even get a video to show you, but my indoor runner mix chases my cats and they're all pretty scared of duck and know NOT to mess with her because once she was a certain size and she felt they threatened her, she ran right at them pecking getting as big and loud as she could and now they're TERRIFIED! They co-exist great, they're on a look but never touch basis! The dog however, the duck likes him but he just avoids her because when they play he has a be gentle rule and she doesn't. Doggo does not approve of him being the only one to get rules. oh well doggo!

I agree with post further up, they should be alright as long as you lock them up at night. Make that routine to make it easier!

Here's duck and doggo since duck and cat friends won't sit together for a pic